Natsu's POV

I lick my lips when Lucy wraps her pretty lips around a straw and starts sucking. She was drinking her usual caffeinated smoothie. I was sitting in a dark corner of the guild, making sure no one touched or looked at my Lucy the wrong way. I'll incinerate anyone who touches my Lucy. I already have, after all. "You keep that up salamander you'll burn the table, again." I hear metal head's voice say. My tail whips against the floor. "Shut up" I mumble, eyes going from red to their usual dark emerald green. That's how Lucy had described my eyes one time we were camping out for a mission.

I grin when Lucy squeaks at a question Levy asked her, then she looks in my direction. My tail starts wagging on the floor, my wings twitch a little. She smiles when she catches me looking. Levy gets Lucy's attention, making her break our eye contact to turn back to the blue haired pixie. I growl, digging my claws into the table to stop myself from tearing the pixie in half. 

Gajeel growls next to me. "Easy salamander, you touch my shrimp I'll kill you" I snarl and glare at him. "I'm trying." I hear Lucy burst out in laugher. I sigh and relax, her laugher like music to my ears. Gajeel snickers. "Whipped." I roll my eyes. Lucy hops off her barstool then heads for the guild entrance, waving at the people who noticing her leaving. I stand up and follow her out, staying a decent distance away from her. Her long blonde hair flowing behind her, her perfect curves, perfect ass and thighs. Her breasts more than perfect. 

"If you're going to follow me home you might as well walk next to me, Natsu" She says, turning her head a little to look at me over her shoulder. I grin and walk faster, soon walking the same pace next to her. "What am I going to do with you?" She asks, shaking her head with a sigh. I toss an arm around her shoulders, my tail wraps around her ankle. "You should be asking, 'what am I going to do without you'" She laughs a little. "We're almost always together, I don't think I need to worry about that."

 A few days later, I was quietly following every one of Lucy's moves, using alleys, roofs, and even balconies to watch as she shops during the farmers market. I glare at the man running the fruit shop when Lucy laughs at his jokes. I bury my nose in my scarf and quietly growl, clenching my fingers into the gutters, ignoring the groaning of the metal bending. Lucy waves at the man at the stall with a smile and laughter. I jump from the roof and land in the nearby alleyway. 

I feel my eyes go red when I see Lucy laughing with the man. I tense when Lucy looks my way with a small smile. The baker chuckles and says something, I was too far and it was too noisy for me to pick up on what he said. Lucy turns away and points at a few things at the baker's stand. The older man smiles and takes a pair of tongs and places some baked goods into a large brown sack. Lucy reaches into her purse and pulls out some jewel. The man takes the money and hands her the bag, smiling and nodding. 

"If you're going to watch me from a distance, you might as well carry a bag." Lucy says, walking to the alleyway I was hiding. I rub the back of my head, caught. The tips of my ears burn pink. I step out of the alleyway. "Sure, I guess. How'd you know it was me?" I ask. Lucy giggles, the sound soothing my soul. "I've known you long enough. I can feel the heat from your gaze from miles." She shrugs, then hands me the bag of fruit. I grin. That's my girl. I take the bag of fruit from her. "Where to next?" I ask. She smiles and grabs my free hand. "The meat stall, I was thinking of checking out some more stores. That last job we took was more than enough for rent" 

I let her lead us to the meat vendor, a big, bearded man was running the stall. "Everything is fresh from this morning" He tells us, giving Lucy a huge smile. I bury my nose and attempt to hide my dissatisfaction. Lucy squeezes my hand. "Thank you!" She turns and looks up at me. "What should I make for dinner?" She asks. I look down into those alluring chocolate eyes. "That roasted beef you made that one time was good." I mutter. She smiles at me. "Then we'll have that!" She turns and looks at the various meats on the counter. "What kind of fish should I get happy?" She asks me. 

My heart warms when she mentions our furry friend. "He'll love any fish you give him." I say, lifting my head from my scarf. She laughs a little. "Sounds about right." She points to a decent sized tuna slab. "I'll take one of those..." She narrows her eyes and eyes the rest of the meat, then her eyes rest on a hunk of beef. "I'll also have that and three steaks." She points at the hunk of meat and the stacks of decent sized ribeyes. "Alrighty! Just a moment miss." He puts on a fresh pair of gloves and starts wrapping and weighting the meats, placing them into a heavy duty plastic bag. 

I grab the bag of meat from the man as Lucy counts out the jewels. She puts them into the larger man's palm. "Pleasure doing business with you missy." "Thank you" I follow Lucy to the produce vendor next door. "Good morning Lucy" The elderly lady greets us. "Good morning Mrs. Bloomberg!" "How are you doing dear? Brought your boyfriend have you?" I snicker a little, watching Lucy turn red. "I-It's not like th-that!" She stutters. She was so adorable embarrassed. My tail wraps around her ankle. I swear it has a mind of it's own sometimes. 

I watch Lucy intensely as she examines various veggies for the roast. "You love her, don't you Mr. Dragon?" Mrs. Bloomberg asks me softly. I sigh and lean against the table. "Dangerously so." The elderly lady laughs a little. "My husband was the same way when we first got together. He was a lumberjack with no family so I think that contributed but, he was very possessive over me. Like I could fade away at any minute." 

I turn and look at the elderly lady. She was alright. She gives me a huge smile. "You have yourself a keeper Mr. Dragon. I can see that she loves you just as much" I rub a hand against my face at that. "I doubt it." She tilts her head. I close my eyes and rub the back of my neck. "It's scary how much I love her sometimes. My control is slipping." The lady was silent for a moment, then she speaks up. "Then all you need to do is confess, hun." I growl a little. "It ain't as simple as that" I open my eyes. She doesn't flinch at my red eyes, only frowns a little. "If not... enjoy the little moments with her. Don't focus on the surroundings or anything else. Pretend it's just you two in the world." 

I bury my nose in my scarf and look away, watching Lucy finish up. "...I'll try. Thanks." Mrs. Bloomberg giggles. "Anytime deary." Lucy turns and walks up to me, smiling. "All done! Ready Natsu?" I grin at her. "Yeah!" She hands the basket to Mrs. Bloomberg, who takes it and sets it onto a scale. I watch Lucy, as she hands over some jewels over to the lady. Lucy puts a hand on her hip and turns to look at me. "Was there anywhere you want to go?" She asks. My stomach growls. "Maybe lunch?" She laughs. "I should've known" Mrs. Bloomberg hands me a plastic bag. 

We stop at Isle 8 before we do more shopping. A waitress walks up. "Hi, my name is Ashley, how may I help you two today? Shall we start off with drinks?" Lucy smiles at the teenager. "Sure! I'll have the Strawberry shake." The teen writes it down. "Alrighty.... And for you?" She asks me. I give her a grin. "I'll just take the spiced apple cider. Can you make it extra spicy?" "I don't see why not!" She writes it down. "I'll get that put in, I'll be right back with those" She says before scurrying away. 

Lucy hums a familiar tune as she scans the menu. "Where'd you hear that from?" I ask her, my tail slides under the table and wraps around her ankle, again. She flushes pink a little. "From Anna. She said she used to sing it to you when you and the other slayers were young." I reach over the table and place my fingertips on hers. "Will you sing it for me sometime?" I ask. Her cheeks flush a little more, making me snicker a little. "W-We'll see." Soon after that, the waitress comes back with our drinks. 

I smile and lean into my hand as Lucy rambles about some of her story ideas. She pushes some hair behind her ear when it gets in her face. She huffs. "Maybe I should just cut my hair. It's getting annoying." I reach over the table and grab some of the silky strands. "I like it. Leave it" I kiss the strands in my hand without thinking. Lucy flushes red, then nervously runs her fingers through the golden stands. "Well... If you like it, then I'll keep it long."

Three waiters and waitresses come back with our, mostly mine, food. In sync, they all bow and say. "Enjoy your meal!" Then all walk back to the kitchen. I grin when I see the old man walk out of the kitchen. "Good to see you two again." Lucy turns and smiles. "Long time no see Yajima! How's it going?" "Business is going well! Especially with this hungry dragon!" They both laugh. I ignore them in favor of digging into my surf and turf. 

After a small chat, Yajima retreats into the restaurant. "Good to see he's well" Lucy comments before slurping some of her shake down. I nod, finishing my pasta. "Are you even listening?" I grunt through a mouthful. She sighs. "Seriously." She stabs the last bits of her own pasta. I take a bite out of my burger, my last dish. Ashley comes back with our check. Before Lucy can even look at it, I snatch the bill up, then put a stack of bills into the waitress' hands. "Keep the change. Your tips is there too." The waitress smiles. "Thank you! Have a nice evening you two!" "Thank you, you too" I say then dig back into my burger. 

I pat my belly, my tail curled around the shopping bags at my back. "I'm stuffed!" Lucy laughs a little. "I sure hope so after how much you shoved down." I grin and toss an arm around her shoulders. "Where to next?" I ask. She giggles and wraps an arm around my waist. "I was thinking of checking out the jewelry stand and the book store real quick." "Lucy~" I whine. She laughs and places a hand on my chest. "I already know what I want. It'll be a quick in and out. Promise" 

The book store was a short trip, just as she promised. I gaze at the gold necklaces then my eyes settle on one. I pick it up and look at it. It had a heart made of crystals and a small ruby in the middle, diamonds curving inward to hold the stone in place. I walk over to Lucy, who was busy scanning the earrings. She squeaks when I press against her back but doesn't protest, I unclasp the necklace than put the necklace in front of her, letting the heart rest on her chest, as I clasp the back together. I take a step back so she can turn around. She lifts the necklace and looks at it.

"It's gorgeous Natsu. Thank you" I blush and rub the back of my head. I turn to the man running the stall and hand him the amount of jewels the price tag said. "T-That's expensive Natsu!" I smile at her as the vendor drops my change into my palm. "So?" "What do you mean so?!" I rub her head, ignoring her complaints. "So, I thought it would look good on you so I bought it." "I-I highly doubt I'm really worth that much." I frown, my eyebrows furrowing together. I place a hand on her waist. "Lucy, you are worth a million times more to me than some jewels." She flushes red, speechless. 

Lucy hums and starts cutting up the vegetables. I place my chin on the table and watch her go. Her hips sway with her humming. I sigh. I must be dreaming. The woman of my every dream, cooking me a delicious feast, with an amazing performance as well. She places the seasoned slab of meat on top of a grate on top of the vegetables. She bends down as slides the tray into the oven, giving me a good view of her pink lacy panties. I lick my lips as she closes the oven door.  She brushes her hands together. "Shall we play a card game while we wait?" I lift my head when she turns to look at me. "Sure!" 

I feel something change in me as the moon rises in the sky. I finish off the roast and push my plate away, standing up. "Natsu?" Lucy asks, concerned. I run my fingers through my hair, frustrated. "I... Have to go Lucy..." Lucy stands up, ignoring her plate. "Did something happen?" She walks up to me, placing a hand on my chest. I put a hand over hers. "No. I just.... have to go..." She looks into my eyes then she cups my cheek with her other hand. I sigh and nuzzle into her palm. "Will you come back?" I give her a small smile. "Soon." She nods. "Kay" I release her hand. 

I bury my nose in my scarf. Before I can walk into the guild, Gajeel, Wendy, Laxus, Freed, Mira, and Gramps walk out of the guild, well Gramps was being pushed in a wheel chair by Mira. I cross my arms. "Natsu. I'm sure you're already aware..." Gramps starts. I wave a hand. "Yeah, yeah. Mating season, don't want to kill anybody. Yada yada. Can we get this over with?" Laxus crosses his arms, my tail whipping against my ankles. "Take this more serious Natsu. You've been having a hard time controlling yourself these days right?" 

I huff and nod. "Yeah." Wendy walks up and takes my hands. "Where did you want to be locked up, Natsu?" She asks, a sad look on her face. I squeeze her hands. "My hoard." Her eyes widen. "Isn't that a dangerous idea? Isn't Lucy's scent all over your hoard?" She asks. "I'm hoping being surrounded by her scent will keep me there and calmish." I reply. Gajeel grunts. "Just don't attack me when I lock you up in there." I release Wendy's hands. "No promises metal breath." 

Gajeel, Wendy, and Freed follow me to my hoard. I feel more and more twitch and irritated by the second. Gajeel and Laxus were already mated so they won't be effected by the season. Wendy was too young of course. We walk into the cave. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, taking in the scent of Lucy. "Alright creep. Let's go" Gajeel mumbles. I fight off my instincts as they walk inside. I walk to the back wall, where her scent is strongest. I raise my hands. Gajeel uses his magic to put metal cuffs around my arms and legs. Freed walks up and places runes all over the ground. 

Wendy looks up at me, biting her lip. "Wendy" I say softly. She tilts her head. "Can you, Happy, and Carla stay with Lucy?" I ask. She nods. "Of course!" I smile at her. "Thank you Wendy. I can always count on you!" She smiles and nods. "Alright Wen. Let's go before he loses it" Wendy turns to look at Gajeel and nods. She turns her head over her shoulder to look at me. "See you in a week Natsu!" I nod. Gajeel nods at me and so does Freed before they all leave. I see more runes activate when they step out of the cave. I sigh, letting my head drop to my chest. When the moon is directly above, my instincts take over. 

Lucy's POV

I sigh and lay my head onto the bar table. "What's wrong Lucy?" Mira asks, wiping a glass down. I glance up at her. "Natsu's disappeared. We had dinner together the other night when he suddenly up and left. Four days later here we are. I wonder if I did something wrong." Mira sets the glass down, leaning forwards. "Between you and I Lucy, he left to protect you" I lift my head, frowning. "he would never hurt me though" Mira frowns. "I'm afraid around this time, he's a danger to everyone." 

"How so?" I ask. She taps on the bar. "Well... His instincts are taking over temporarily. Normally, it's not suppose to be this bad, but with Natsu being the son of the fire dragon king, Zeref's demon, and he defeated the king of dragons. That's all making it worse, I'm afraid." I bite my lip. "Can I... ask a question?" Mira smiles and leans back. "Sure! Ask away" "C-Can I see him?" I ask. Mira's smile drops. "I'm afraid not. I don't want to risk you getting hurt." 

I look down at the table. Wendy's been staying with me every so often, but it's lonely and cold without Natsu. "then... a different question..." "mmhmm" I look up at her. "Ever since Tartaros ended, Natsu started acting differently. More... possessive, more... jealous? I've noticed him following me and stalking me. Is Juvia rubbing off on him?" Mira bursts out laughing. "No! No! Nothing like that! He just worries about you and loves you" I flush red. "He does not!" I deny. Mira giggles. "If you say so. But I have seen him glare at every male who looks at you. He's even growled at Levy for taking your attention away from him." 

My eyes widen and my jaw drops. "R-Really? I haven't noticed" She giggles again. "He's very good at hiding it." Something about Natsu's behavior sounds familiar. "I-I see... Well... I'm going to leave now." I stand up, her words swirl in my head. I leave the guild, Happy soon flies next to me. "What's wrong Lushi?" He asks. I put a hand on my forehead. "Just... Confused a little." "About what Lushi?" He asks, concerned. "About Natsu. The way he's acting, the way he disappeared, everything."

Happy stays silent. I chuckle a little. "You're not going to tell me either?" "I'm sorry Lushi, I promised Natsu" I sigh, dropping my hand. "I see. I guess I have to figure this out myself." Happy lands on my shoulder. "Wait. What if I gave you three fish?" Happy drools. "Aye! Natsu is a yandere!" I stop. "A yandere? Are you sure?" "Aye!" I keep walking. "Let's go home. I need to think about this." "Don't forget my fish!" I roll my eyes, smiling. "Yes, yes. I won't forget." 

I plop down onto my bed after giving Happy his fish. I rub my hand against my face. He's too outgoing to be like Juvia. He is a fighter. So a yandere makes so much more sense. But why me? I can't see anyone becoming a yandere because of me. "Where is Natsu anyways?" I ask. "His hoard." Happy answers before slapping his paws over his mouth. "You didn't hear that!" I stand up. "Oh yes I did!" Happy eyes me carefully. "Lushi... Why can't you just respect Natsu's wishes? He's trying his best not to hurt you" 

I cross my arm and tap my finger against my forearm. "Natsu won't hurt me." "Can you be sure about that Lucy?" Happy asks, crossing his arms. We stare each other down. "One time when you were unconscious, a bandit groped you. Natsu got so mad he literally burnt the guy alive" I take a step back, startled. I let my arms drop. "He... what?" Happy flies over and hugs my neck. "He lost control. He doesn't remember much other than getting angry and waking up to the smoke and the smell." 

I hug the cat back when he trembles. "He was in dragon force. He was scary. I was checking up on you and he almost snapped at me" I bury my nose between his ears. "I'm sorry Happy." He looks up at me with teary eyes. I smile at him. "But I still need to see him" His ears droop. "But Lushi~" I set him down onto the floor. "Show me where his hoard is" Happy looks away. "He's not himself right now Lushi." I crouch down and pat his head. "Please Happy? I have to see him" 

He looks at me. His ears and tail droop. "Fine. But don't blame me if something happens. I don't want you hurt Lucy" I pull him in for a hug. "Oh you have nothing to worry about. I promise." He hugs me back. "If you come back hurt you owe me a bag of fish" He mutters. I laugh a little. "Alright, it's a deal." I pull back then stand up. Happy brings his wings out and floats next to me. "Alright. I'll fly you most of the way there. I don't want Natsu to catch my scent by his hoard" I nod. "That works for me!"

Happy drops me off in front of a cave, the entrance sealed off with steel bars, but there was a gap big enough for me to slip through. "This is as far as I'm going." I turn and face the cat, nodding. "Thank you Happy." He nods. "I'll see you tomorrow. I'll be back to check up on you" I smile. "Thank you." He gives me a quick hug and a goodbye before flying off. I turn and face the cave and walk forwards, the heat getting more and more intense the closer I get. I see Freed's runes on the ground, a triple barrier... I touch the barrier than use my finger to rewrite the runes to allow me to enter. 

I lick my lips when I step past the barrier and slip under the steel bars. I hear a growl echo through out a cave. I widen my eyes when I enter. There was gold, books, jewelry, dresses, and all sorts of stuff in here. But what catches my eyes first, was Natsu chained to the wall, his eyes were closed and he was trembling slightly. "Get out of here Lucy." He says, voice raspy and deep. I shake my head. "No!" His eyes snap open and he growls at me. "I thought I told Happy and Wendy to keep an eye on you" 

I take a step back when his eyes glow red. I bite my lip. "I was worried about you. You up and disappear like that, what else was I suppose to do?" He snarls, his tail struggling against the cuffs. "You were suppose to stay the hell away from me until the week was up!" He jerks his head away. "You have to leave before I lose it!" "I refuse!" He stares at me. "This isn't the time to be stubborn Lucy!" He tugs on the cuffs, the metal groaning. I put my hands on my hips and walk forward. "Well too bad!" 

With that, the cuffs holding Natsu to the wall snaps as he overpowers them. I squeak when he tackles me into a hug, wrapping us in a cocoon made with his wings, his tail wraps around my waist. He drags his nose up my neck. "I warned ya" He licks a trail up my neck up to the bottom of my ear. I grab his arms and whine. His arms tug around me harder. "What is going on with you?" I ask, yelping when he nips my ear. I moan when he nibbles on my ear. "Mating season." I push him off. "But why me?" He looks down at me, a fond look on his face. "Because it's you." 

"What do you mean" His eye get gold in them. He grabs my hands and rubs his thumbs against my hands. "You are the strongest, kindest, loving and loyal person I've ever seen. It was inevitable that I fell for you. I've known you were mine from the moment we met." My cheeks flush red. "I'm not that strong at all." He frowns. "Yes, you are. You've held me back several times from going overboard, even if I burned you." He cups my cheek. 

"You're also the most gorgeous person I've ever met. If I hadn't met you, I'd probably be asexual or forever alone. I'm so damn lucky I met you" He puts his head on my shoulder. I put a hand on his head. "Wh-where is this coming from? With the way Happy was describing it, you would lose control or something." His head lifts up. "If you would've come a day sooner, I would've completely lost it" He cups my cheek and leans in, chuckling softly. "I decided to lock myself in here because your scent is all over. So I would be less likely to hurt you" 

I cup his cheek and lean closer, our noses brush and our foreheads press together. "You would never hurt me" He puts his hand over mine and leans into my hand. "Lucy..." He captures my lips with his. I slide my eyes closed and slide my free hand into his hair. Natsu pushes me into the fabric of a dress, coins still digging into my side. I wince when he grows rougher. I put a hand against his chest and push him away slightly. He looks at me hurt. 

I smile at him. "These coins aren't comfortable" He lifts me up bridal style instantly. I yelp and latch onto his neck. "I have a solution to that." He says and walks further into the cave. I turn my head and see a huge bed covered in blankets, furs, and tons of pillows. Natsu sets me on the bed and hovers over me, his fingers twisted into the blankets. "I have to let my instincts take over." I smile wider. "Ok!" He cups my cheeks, huffing. "Silly Lucy. I have to bite you and do a 'ceremony' to bind our lives together." 

I reach up and put a hand on his chest, over his heart. I can feel how hard his heart is pounding. He's nervous... "You have nothing to worry about Natsu, besides, our lives were bound in a way with your book. Don't tell me you didn't notice" He sighs and puts his head on my chest, making me flush red. He wraps his arms around me. "I noticed. I thought it was temporary" "You're not completely wrong." He lifts himself up. 

"Are you ready? I don't know when I'll wake up again." He asks, eyes furrowed together. I reach up and hug him. "I'm ready to be yours. I've loved you for years, Natsu" He leans down and pecks my lips. "I love you too. Always have. Just... took me a while to notice." I laugh a little. "Typical Natsu." He rolls his eyes. "Whatever." Then his eyes go full gold as he slumps over me. 

Natsu starts pressing kisses along my neck. "My mate..." He sighs, inhaling deeply. I lift my head, presenting my neck to him. He purrs and runs his now longer fangs against my skin, making me shiver. He locks eyes with me when he finds a good spot to mark me, on my collarbone, where everyone can see his mark. "Forgive me mate, this will hurt." He says before biting down. I yelp and bury my fingers in his hair, tugging a little. 

I pant when I'm filled with intense heat as Natsu pours his magic into me, filling me with a warm, yet boiling hot sensation. Natsu pulls back, licking over the wound. His eyes were slitted, gold and flakes of red dance in his eyes. He holds his palm out, a flame dances on it. I sit up slowly, a hand behind me to keep me steady. "You want me to eat this?" I ask, putting a hand on his arm. He nods. I slide my hand down his arm and under his hand. I lean in and slurp the flames up. I moan. "tasty" 

Natsu purrs at my statement and when I finish all the flames. I feel a fire burning in my belly. Natsu shoves me into the pillows and kisses me, his tongue making its way into my mouth. I moan and try to keep up. I push him away when I need air, he nibbles on my ear before sucking and nibbling my neck. I pant, the fire in my belly is growing hotter by the second. I whimper when he licks the now forming mark. 

I squeak when he rips my top and bra off in one move. Natsu's arms tremble around me, clearly struggling to hold himself back. I reach up and cup both of his cheeks. "Natsu, don't hold back. You won't hurt me" I lean up and kiss him. He relaxes against me, I moan into his mouth when both of his hot hands cup my breasts. I gasp when he squeezes. I feel him grin against my lips. He rubs my hard nipples with his thumbs. I slide my hands into his hair when he pulls away from my lips and down to my breast. I whimper when his tongue flicks against my nipple. "Natsu!" 

I groan and slowly open my eyes. Natsu was sleeping in front of me, his arms wrapped around me. I smile and kiss his forehead. He mumbles something and pulls me closer. I giggle and peck his nose. His nose wrinkles up and he sighs. I turn my head and look at the mark he left on me. It was a flame with a golden key inside, a few small stars surround the flames. I run my fingers over it. Natsu purrs in his sleep. "My Lushi..." 

Natsu slowly opens his eyes, revealing the usual dark emerald eyes I fell in love with. "Morning sunshine. How was your sleep?" I ask, giggling a little. He smiles and cups my cheek. "Perfect." He pushes himself up and kisses me. I hum against his lips. He pulls back, eyes shimmering. "Stay here. I want to bring you breakfast and some gifts." He lifts himself off me. I smile. "Ok." He unravels his scarf and wraps it around my neck, kissing my forehead. "Take care of that for me ok?" 

I put a hand on the scarf. "I will!" He grins. "That's my girl. Feel free to explore. This is your hoard now too" I sit up, ignoring the blanket falling down, exposing my naked body. "Really?" I ask. He nods. "A hoard isn't just meant to store my treasure. It's also meant to attract a mate. So that's why I collect jewelry, clothes, and some books. For you" He pulls his pants on, making me pout when his nice muscular ass is covered. Natsu gives me a knowing grin, making me blush. He slides his one armed vest on. He gives me another kiss goodbye before leaving the hoard, the runes letting Natsu leave willingly. 

I slide my panties on and go through the pile of dresses. They were all high quality dresses, made from some of the finest fabrics. I find a short kimono. It was black silk with gold trimming with flames going halfway up the sleeves and the skirt part. I slide the kimono on, tying it closed with the gold wrap. I run my fingers down the kimono. This silk was probably more expensive than some of the silk gowns I had at the mansion. The kimono very comfortable and ended midthigh, it showed a good amount of cleavage too. Natsu knows me well, each measurement was exact.

I crouch down and look through some of the jewelry. My eyes catch on a gold ruby necklace. I pick it up, looking at it. I put it on, holding up the heart shaped ruby. "That one is also a lacrima. It can store my flames inside." I jump at Natsu's voice. I turn and see him leaning against the hoard entrance, two bags of food in his hands. I look down at the pendant. "That's awesome. But it sounds expensive." He chuckles a little and walks towards me. 

"Everything I got for you was expensive. Almost everything is custom made and fire proof." My jaw drops. He snickers at my reaction. I close my mouth. He motions his head to the bed. "Come on. Lets get you fed and I'll explain a few more things." I nod. I follow him to the bed. He opens the bag of food and hands me a wrapped breakfast sandwich. "Thank you" "Anything for you, my love." I blush at that. I unwrap it and take a bite, moaning in delight. "Nothing is better than Mira's cooking." He shakes his head, unwrapping a breakfast burrito. "Wrong. Anything you cook is better." 

"Why's that? I barely know how to cook." I ask. He tilts his head. "Because you made it, obviously." I laugh a little, shaking my head. "Should've expected that from a yandere" Natsu growls at that. "You aren't suppose to know that" I pat his thigh. "I would've found out eventually." He sighs. "Dammit Happy." I squeeze his thigh before letting go. "We're just worried about you." He groans and chomps down on his burrito. 

"I know something changed, but when did you get full yandere?" I ask. He shrugs. "After I destroyed the eclipse gate. Losing you like that, I couldn't stand it. It wasn't that bad then, but it got way worse shortly after I left for my year training." I shutter at the memory of holding myself as my future self died. It still haunts me occasionally. I mean, who wouldn't if you died in your own arms? 

I finish my sandwich, Natsu reaches into the bag and hands me a metal tumblr. "It's just orange juice." he mumbles with a mouthful. I take it from him with a nod, then uncap it and take a sip. He licks his lips, eyeing me up and down. "You look stunning in that, Lucy" He says. I blush. "Thank you." He tosses the wrapper behind him and pulls me into his lap, my legs wrap around him. His wrap around me. He puts his chin on my chest. I place my hands in his hair. Natsu unwraps his wings and wraps them around us, his tail wrapping around me. 

"I have a few questions for you" I tell him. He grins. "Before that, I have something for you." His tail unwraps itself from my waist and grabs something from a bag. His tail comes back, wrapped around a small, black velvet box. I grab the box. "Natsu..." I gasp when I open it. Inside was a small red dragon curling up around a pink heart diamond, the end of the tail was wrapped around the silver band. "I had this one custom made." Natsu starts, picking up the ring and grabbing my left hand. "I spent ages trying to figure out how to design this. After the Tartaros stuff, this is what I came up with." He tells me as he slides the ring onto my ring finger. 

I look at the ring on my finger, tears growing in my eyes. He thought about this after watching Igneel die? "It's perfect Natsu." I wrap my arms around him. He runs his fingers through my hair. "If you want a real wedding, that's fine by me" He says. I laugh a little. "Of course I do! I've dreamed of getting married for ages!" I peck his nose. "Can I ask my questions now?" He nods. "Of course." "So, what exactly changed after we mated?" 

He gently kisses the mark. "Makes you immune to fire. You can also use my fire too. You should've gotten a lot more powerful already." He places the palm of his hand on my belly. "When you ate my fire, that was the final step of the mating, basically you were accepting me and my element, you could say the flame you ate was pure concentrated magic" "You never cease to amaze me Natsu" He presses our foreheads together. "Certainly makes it more fun and interesting doesn't it?" I smile and wrap my arms around his neck and reply "As long as we're together." He purrs at my response and wraps his arms around my hips. I mess with the hair on the back of his neck and smile.

We sit and cuddle in silence, except for Natsu's purring. I was admiring my ring. "How long were you planning this?" I ask, breaking the almost silence. "Since Tenrou" I stop and raise an eyebrow. He lifts his head from my neck, grinning. "When that one dude was hitting you while I was trapped and you refused to leave, the first thing that came to mind was 'Damn I really have to marry that girl" I giggle and slap his shoulder. "You're ridiculous." He continues to grin. "But the longer I got to know you, the easier and harder it got to designing this." 

He grabs my hand and messes with the ring. "You don't need a ton of diamonds or a complex ring, that's not Lucy. But I still wanted it to be worthy of you, to be special." He slides the ring off and shows the inside top part of the ring. There was carved 'As long as we're together, the fires in our hearts will forever burn together.' "I actually had help with this part. Lisanna found out about my plan and how... obsessed with you I was, still am. Lisanna came up with his not far into the grand magic games."

He slides the ring back on my finger. "That's... so long ago!" He smiles. "I know right." He cups my cheek and presses his forehead to mine while his eyes close. His scales are both smooth and rough against my skin. He takes a deep breath, taking in my scent. "Sometimes I still wonder if I'm worthy of you." He says, sounding breathless. I blush and put a hand over his heart. "You are. You've proven it over and over. Besides, worthy or not, it's you I want, Natsu." His eyes opening as he sighs. "You're making this more difficult. But as long as it's me you want." 

After trying a few more outfits and jewelry on, Natsu tackled me for a quick 'roll in the coins' I cling to Natsu's chest as he carries me to the bed. "What's with you and biting my neck? I'm not complaining but still..." I pout, he was leaving too many marks! He sets me onto the bed. "Dragons can easily bite out something's windpipe. By offering that vulnerable spot for me to nibble, I can't resist." I giggle when he kisses one of his bite marks. "So basically it's the ultimate trust it gives, that turns you on." Natsu laughs. "Way to break it down weirdo!" I pout, crossing my arms. "I'm not weird!"

It was the final day of mating season. I was walking around and exploring the hoard some more, in the black and gold trimmed kimono and some sandals. Natsu follows behind me, his tail fixing the positions of the coins as I walk over them. "Hand on a sec Lucy" Natsu says. I stop and turn around, a hand on my hip and an eyebrow raised. He smiles and takes the crystal around my neck into his hands. He gently kisses it before blowing some fire into it. I watch in amazement as the crystal absorbs his fire and swirls around inside. He stops and lets the pendant go. "Now that will let me know where you are and your heartrate, no matter how far apart we are, as long as you're wearing the necklace." 

I smile and place a hand on his cheek. He sighs, sliding his eyes closed as he puts a hand over mine, leaning into me. "Why are you strangely sweet sometimes?" I giggle. He opens his eyes. "Because you like it when I'm sweet." I laugh a little at his statement. "Well it's a rare occasion, so I cherish your sweetness. But you also don't have to force yourself to be sweet Natsu, it's you I fell for." He turns his head and kisses the palm of my hand, sighing. "Damn, why are you so perfect? Are you sure you're not a goddess?" He asks. 

I blush. "I'm sure. I would've known by now if I was" "You're probably prettier than an actual goddess." I slap his chest. "Oh stop!" He grins and grabs my hips. "I thought you liked flattery?" I raise an eyebrow, a little surprised he knew the word. "Yes, but this is a little.... embarrassing?" He kisses my nose. "You're adorable when you squirm." I squeak and push him away. "Stop!" He kisses my forehead. "You're no fun." I cross my arms, pouting. I turn away from him and walk to the cave entrance. 

"Where are you going?" Natsu asks curiously. "To find you a ring." "Do I really need one?" He whines. "Not really but I say so. Why don't you want one?" I ask, stopping and turning to raise an eyebrow at him. He looks down. "I'm a little... worried about melting a ring..." I put a hand on his chest. "Even if it's fireproof?" I ask softly. He nods. "I use my hands a lot." I smile. "You're worried about overpowering the fire proof and your overheated hands?" He nods, blushing a little. I reach up and tug on his scarf a little. "Then we'll put it on a necklace. That way it'll be less likely to melt." "This is why you're the smart one!" "Well someone has to have a brain between us two." 

Natsu silently follows me around the specialty jewelry store, eyeing every worker that even glances at us. "Anything I can help you with miss?" I look up from the ring case and at the female worker. "Umm... Well we're looking for a ring for him. I'd prefer if it was dragon themed and fireproof." She smiles. "I see. Let me measure his finger first." She pulls out a ring ruler. Natsu holds his hand out to her. She puts it around his ring finger and pulls the ruler to fit around his finger snuggly. After a second she pulls the finger ruler off. "Give me just a moment! I have a few suggestions! He makes all kinds of dragon themed stuff!" She says before scurrying off. 

She comes back with five boxes. "Thank you for waiting. These are by the same craftsman, all fireproof, scratch and rustproof!" She says as she opens all five boxes. I lean in and scan the rings, putting a hand on the tail coiling around my waist. Two of them were the same but in different material. The first was a white-gold dragon scale ring. The second was a dragon scale ring but black. "This one is actually made is a new material the craftsman made himself! It's a mixture of obsidian and black steel!" I nod, then look at the third ring. 

This one had a red dragon eye with black steel dragon scales surrounding the eye and the band. The fourth one was a silver legless dragon for a band. The fifth one was a gold ring with a claw holding a red stone. "They're all beautiful. What do you think Natsu?" I ask. He puts his hands on my hips. "I like the first two." He says. The lady smiles and closes the last three boxes and scoops them up, leaving us alone to decide as she goes to put them away. 

I pick up both rings. He lets go of me and holds out his hand. I slide on the white gold. "They both look gorgeous." I say as I slide the ring off, only to replace it with the black one. "But the black one suits you better." He smiles, leaning in to kiss me. I meet him and return the kiss. "The black one it is." he says against my lips. I put the white one in it's box and close it, pushing it away a little. The worker comes back with a man following her. He looked like a swords craftsman. 

"Sorry for waiting! The jeweler was in today and I told him about your interest! He said he'd like to meet you, if it's not a bother?" The worker says. The jeweler was an old man, just slightly taller than Natsu. He had long white hair tied back into a ponytail. "A dragon has taken an interest in my rings? I'm honored." The man bows slightly. Natsu waves his hand. "Half dragon. They're all impressive. My mate and I like this one." The man eyes me, making Natsu half cover me with his wings. "She's very gorgeous may I add. I see she has a custom ring of her own." 

I smile when he notices my ring. I hold my hand out for him to see. "He had this special made." He leans in and looks at my ring. "This work is miles better than mine! The dragon looks perfectly made, almost real looking! Where did you have this made lad?" He asks Natsu, an awed look on his face. Natsu shrugs. "Some dude in Crocus. Pretty sure he was famous. The princess actually recommended him to me." I look up at Natsu in surprise. "Hisui did?" He grins down at me. "At the ball after the grand magic games, Lisanna and I were discussing the ring when she overheard us. She loved the idea and told me where to find the guy." 

I slowly turn around and put a hand on his scaled arms. "Natsu... how much did this ring cost exactly?" He closes his eyes and goes silent for a moment. "Uh.... I don't remember exactly... but over a billion jewels I think" The worker, the jeweler, myself, and probably every other person here's jaw drops. He opens his eyes and continues talking like it's nothing. "I didn't really listen to the price. He showed me that his work was worth the money. When he showed me the finished ring, I was too lazy to count so I gave him a few bags of jewels. I probably overpaid him now that I think about it." 

I clear my throat. "You're just... insane. I'm sure you're actually insane." I burst out laughing, covering my eyes. "You spent more money on a ring than my father did for my mother by a long shot! I don't know what else to say anymore!" I open my eyes when I stop laughing and look at Natsu's tilted head. "He did better than perfect! It took him almost a year to make it too! He made a ring worthy of you. Of course the money didn't matter" The worker awes at us. I flush red and turn away from him, looking down and my bangs cover my eyes. 

"If I may, Mr. Love dragon, can I see the ring and a couple of your scales? I want to do an added touch to the ring" The jeweler says, tears in his eyes. "Sure!" Natsu takes the ring off and sets in in the older man's hand. "Did you want something engraved as well?" Natsu looks down at me, clearly wanting me to come up with something. I sigh, looking away as Natsu plucks off a scale. "Fine. Give me a sec" Natsu squeezes me. I hum and close my eyes, thinking. "May the embers of our love surpass the stars." I say. The old man smiles. "Beautiful. Give me a few minutes and I'll be back." He says before bowing, than turns to the back of the store. 

The worker lady takes the other ring to put it away. Natsu nuzzles my neck. "I love you, Lucy" I hum and reach back to slide my fingers into his hair. "I love you too Natsu." I quietly hum the song Anna taught me. I feel Natsu smile against my skin. Time seems to fly by, the jeweler comes back with the ring. I hold my palm out. The old man grins and sets it into my hand. I hold it up for Natsu and I to see. "May the embers of our love surpass the stars' was engraved on the inside, the old man added some star carvings around the words. I move the ring and run my fingers along the scales. The man grinded up Natsu's beautiful scarlet scales with some gold powder and added it to the obsidian scales. 

"It's beautiful! Thank you!" I say to him. He smiles. "No trouble at all missy." He turns around and walks to the back, waving a hand. The worker lady smiles at us. "Anything else you two need?" She asks. I nod. "Yes actually. We need a fireproof chain also." She nods. "Follow me" She guides us to a display with chains of all kinds. I quickly scan them then point to a silver chain, the chains a bit wider than the others. She opens the case and grabs it. "Anything else?" I shake my head. "No, that'll be it." "Sounds good! Now if you don't mind following me to the register..." 

After Natsu pays for the ring, we leave the building. We sit on a bench in front of the shop. I unclasp the necklace and slide the ring on. I turn and face Natsu. I reach up a little and behind his neck. I clasp the necklace together and drop the chain. The ring drops under Natsu's scarf, the chain long enough to show two inches under his scarf. I pick the ring up and look at it. "Now I found a ring worthy of you. I know you didn't exactly want one and you technically paid for it but-" Natsu cuts me off with a chuckle and a kiss. I melt into him. He pulls back. "Thank you, Lucy. It's perfect. I'm glad you got me one and I'll say it again. Money doesn't matter to me." I reach up and cup his cheek. "I can see that now."